Xantia Activa - What to do?

whitecrook2 · Post by **whitecrook2** » 30 Nov 2006, 15:53

Hi all

Well after 2 days of trying I've managed to get logged back on here, albeit with a new username - guess what my previous name was....

Anyway. Here I am now the owner of an 97 R Activa turbo 125K which looking now it seems I paid over the odds for - £300.

Took it for MOT and basically a bunch of stuff:

rear calipers leaking, break efficiency 47%
ABS light - probably sensor(s), I been told when replacing rear calipers the rear sensors would probably need replacing as they'd fall aprt
new tyre needed,
Engine management light comes on when I boot it (40-70 on m-way for example) - reading here could be fuel problem (filter, etc??)
possible front wheel bearing, possible steering angle sensor, possible brake pedal sensor.

Not to mention only 3 alloy wheels (didn't notice one was a steelie with trim)

So options - auction it off, should it sell, it'll cost me £80 to put it through ( http://www.intercitymotorauctions.co.uk/selling.html)

Fix the parts, the garage estimated about a grand to fix, or I could attempt myself and that would cost a min of calipers, pads + sensors + tyre = £350 + plus time. Tax runs out end dec.

Or I could break it and sell pieces off, break even and sell the rest for £50 I really don't want to do this, but It may be the only reasonable option.

In the back of my mind as well I have a TD estate with a broken driver window motor (£67 quid) and heating that doesn't heat see my other thread.

Any advice guys? Does anyone want an activa or parts off it? What would you do in this position?

Thanks for reading

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 30 Nov 2006, 16:18

Saw this one - up in your part of the world with a student selling it IIRC.
Don't think 300 was too much - sadly the parts on these make BIG money -
engines sell for 300 on their own to the modification mob.

The only big deal on your list is the cost and work of doing the rear brakes.
They may just be seized upo due to poor pads and lack of use. I've not heard
of the ABS sensor falling apart working on a rear caliper!!

Usually you'd have to do some work on any car you buy in; there's always
something to do, so scrapping it would appear to be a bit extreme...

Andrew

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 30 Nov 2006, 16:37

Well I can hardly think of a more worthwhile investment... If I wanted a project which was relatively 'do-able' then I can't think of a better one than yours.... get stuck in and show us the pics when you have an MOT on it...

FrenchLeave · Post by **FrenchLeave** » 30 Nov 2006, 18:01

Stay with it. Even if you pay top whack to fix it you'll finish up with a classic and fine car.

Derek

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 30 Nov 2006, 18:12

Activas are extremely complicated, even by Citroen standards. If you are the sort of driver who will check that everything is right and you diagnose problems thoroughly before spending, it will cost you more time than money. Those who own them like them but I suspect that if you want an easier life, you should stick it in the for sale area of this forum and see if anybody bites.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 30 Nov 2006, 18:15

I think the ABS sensor fits through a hole in the trailing arm rather than the caliper - so if the caliper needs changing (unusual) it should be possible to do it without disturbing the sensor.

The usual problem with the rear calipers is that corrosion occurs at the mounting point, meaning that the caliper doesn't sit flat. Removing the caliper and cleaning off ALL the rust usually solves the problem.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 30 Nov 2006, 19:50

The sensor on the rear arm is just that - on the arm - the caliper sits at the
end of the arm nowhere near it, IF it's ONLY the caliper we're talking about!

I'd understand the sensor being damaged if it needed actual removal for it's
replacement as it will require the arm's removal to get it fed through the rear
subframe's aperture into the wiring loom at the back.

Least by sorting it, you'd know the rear brakes would be tip top!!

BTW, I'd hardly say the car is scrapyard material...

Andrew

whitecrook2 · Post by **whitecrook2** » 30 Nov 2006, 21:04

Thanks for the thoughts,

Saves me taking pictures lol.. Yeah the car is in reasonable nick, there's only one minor spot of rust near the rear door, shame about the front right wheel. + a few other cosmetic things that could do with fixing.

I think you lot convinced me I'll get the parts and proceed to replace the components.

The drive is really nice (compared to my LX, but I think what I'm wanting is the hydractive2 for comfort) This thing loves round abouts

Oh well I'll plug away.

How much time do you estimate to do the above work? is it a 'peice of cake' to swap over some new calipers?

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 30 Nov 2006, 22:08

just a thought - you have checked that the other alloy isn't in the spare wheel carrier?

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 30 Nov 2006, 22:20

whitecrook2 wrote:Here I am now the owner of an 97 R Activa turbo
125K which looking now it seems I paid over the odds for - £300.

I actually don't think that's too bad a price - I've been watching Activas
on ebay for nearly 2 years now, that's how I know they're becoming an
endangered Citroen as most get stuffed for their engine as an organ
transplant into something wearing Pug badges...

http://tinyurl.com/y6t2ld

whitecrook2 wrote: rear calipers leaking, break efficiency 47%

Leaking doesn't sound good - are these actually pushing LHM out visually
or are they just wet - wouldn't be the first time I've had a query about
mine in an MOT only to realise the fluid was spilled from a sphere change!

Are BOTH calipers actually leaking - some folk undo the rear bleed nipple
to release the pressure when changing the rear pads to allow the piston to
move back or even clumsily allow fluid to spill everywhere when bleeding
the brakes.

Of course, as has been stated elsewhere, the calipers can corrode and
distort on the mounting on the arm effectively wedging the pads; what
are these like - there may be problems as the brake efficiency is poor.

My TD SX estate nearly failed it's MOT yesterday on the rear brakes as
the car hasn't been used a great deal and hadn't properly bedded in the
pads again [probably coated now in rust for a few miles]. A load in the
back should bring some life back into the discs!!

whitecrook2 wrote: ABS light - probably sensor(s), I been told when replacing rear calipers
the rear sensors would probably need replacing as they'd fall aprt

Bite the bullet, take a reading of the multi plug on the ECU pins mentioned
in another recent thread here to see which sensor is the culprit. You may
be lucky to find a poor connection!! They're really not bad to do on the
front - honest - one took me 3/4 of an hour, and most of that was faffing
around with the jack and wheel removal. The rear is OK[ish] dependent
on whether the sensor comes off the arm! The big deal is the threading of
the lead through the subframe. I can't see a way of getting the lead with
it's grommet through the space available without taking the arm off. Again
not a big job actually - would give you a reason to check the rear bearing
race and actually putting in a grease nipple on the arm for lubrication.

whitecrook2 wrote: new tyre needed,

Is there any particular reason it's worn out on it's own - is the tracking
OK!? This wont be picked up on an MOT.

whitecrook2 wrote: Engine management light comes on when I boot it (40-70 on m-way for
example) - reading here could be fuel problem (filter, etc??)

Possibly - there's a whole load of sensors scattered about on the engine
- maybe one's got a poor connection - it sounds like it actually goes OK
though. What's the exhaust emmisions like?

Try a 'tuneup' with new plugs/leads - clean all injection connections...

whitecrook2 wrote: possible front wheel bearing, possible steering angle sensor, possible
brake pedal sensor.

You sound as neurotic as me!! Maybe the wheel bearing is actually what's
wearing your tyre...

whitecrook2 wrote: Not to mention only 3 alloy wheels (didn't notice one was a steelie with
trim)

ebay beckons

whitecrook2 wrote: So options - auction it off, ... Fix the parts, ...Or I could break it and sell
pieces off, break even and sell the rest for £50.... Does anyone want an
activa or parts off it? What would you do in this position?

Asking us lot whether to keep a rare desirable Xantia or scrap it is a bit
like asking fellow Alcoholics whether they like beer or not!!

What
answer do you expect!?

BTW, I'll have the front bumper and the activa rams if you insist...

Andrew

deian · Post by **deian** » 30 Nov 2006, 22:21

thats a VERY nice car, £300!! bargain, if you spend another £500 fixing it you will have a pretty pokey car will handle as well as any other sports car, plus it's rare. it's not gonna be a loss at all... go for it i'd say! i'm jealous

btw, you can buy the alloys off ebay individually i think, i'm sure i've seen some, i guess the alloy is the spare, maybe the steel wheel is the one with bad tyre, dig up the alloy from the spare wheel section (if it's there), and shove it back on... (if that is the case), otherwise grab one off ebay.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 01 Dec 2006, 00:03

Couple of points:

Don't Activa's have special stronger wheels to cope with the cornering forces (approaching 1G - up with and better than some Ferrarris all on smallish tyres!)

The load in the boot point is very valid. Rear brakes are bled off the rear suspension circuit - so no load - no little pressure for braking, high load, high pressure available for braking.

Some Activa manual information and illustrations available here:

http://citroeny.cz/servis/servis.htm

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 01 Dec 2006, 06:27

The leak from the rear calipers may well be due to someone undoing the caliper mounting bolts when the pad retaining bolt was removed, this allows the caliper to split into two halves.

The ECU light will most probably be due due to a sensor fault (crankshaft/rpm sensor?) rather than HT leads on that engine. IIRC the ECU on Activa's doesn't have access to HT info so it won't list it as a fault.

Likewise I've had to logon with a new username but that's due to making the stupid decision to swap my ISP to Sky. "Doh!" "Don't do it!!"

Post by **DHallworth** » 01 Dec 2006, 21:19

that activa looks lovely!!

I am just across the river from you in Langbank!!!

If your ever thinking of selling the car, give me a shout, would love another Activa and it'd be going to a good local home!

David.

KevMayer · Post by **KevMayer** » 01 Dec 2006, 21:20

If the engine management light comes on when you boot it the previous owner has probably done something to increase the turbo boost.

The ECU monitors boost pressure on this engine. If the boost reaches 1 bar the ECU cuts power and the engine management light comes on.

You need to have a look to see if a Manual Boost controller has been fitted or has the tension on the waste gate actuator been increased by shortening the arm.

I had an Activa and increased my boost by adjusting the waste gate actuator tension. 4 turns shorter on the actuator arm caused my boost to exceed 1 bar. I turned it back to 3 1/2 turns and the management light only came on under extreme conditions (like when I raced a Civic Type R).

cheers, Kev